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Legal Information: Illinois

Workplace Protections

Updated: 
January 23, 2024

Can I take time off from my job or change my schedule to deal with violence against me or a family/household member?

Under Illinois State law, an employee who is a victim of domestic, sexual, or gender violence, or a victim of a “crime of violence” or who has a family/household member who is a victim may take unpaid leave from work if:

  • the employee or his/her family or household member is experiencing an incident of domestic, sexual, gender violence, or any other “crime of violence;” or
  • to address domestic, sexual, gender violence, or any other “crime of violence.”1

For more information on what types of actions the law would allow you to take to deal with the violence, see What actions, specifically, can I use my time off from work to do?

1 820 ILCS § 180/20(a)(1)

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